Is it Indian Summer yet? Grilled Corn on the Cob

(photo treklens.com)

My notes say I made this in 2000. It came from Cooking Light. I'd been to a grilling cooking class in the previous month and the instructor had talked about how easy it is to grill corn. I'd grilled corn before, but when I read this recipe it sounded so different. Worth trying, I thought.

Here's what you do: you pull the husks down - but you don't pull them off. Some nearly always fall off anyway, you just can't help that, but you want enough husks to completely cover all the corn. No kernels peeking through if at all possible. You remove all the silk, spread with a little butter or olive oil spray, season the cobs with this herb and spice combination, very gently pull the husks back into place covering the corn and carefully take a loose, long piece of husk and tie the husks at the top, like a topknot, a ponytail. Grill about 15-20 minutes. Remove all the husks and EAT. Really, really delicious.

There's nothing hard about making this. But it does take a bit of time to make up the dry rub. Since I've made this so many times now, whenever I'm out of the rub I make up another BIG batch. Well, usually enough to last the summer season. They say that once spices are combined with others they tend to lose their effectiveness, their flavor. So just make up enough so you'll use it up in a couple of months. It's just as easy to make this for 2-3 batches than for one. As long as you like seasoning and lots of it, you'll be certain to like this corn.

You can smear the raw corn with some butter if you'd like. I usually spray it heavily with olive oil spray instead. Then you sprinkle on the spice and herb rub, covering it very liberally. You need the butter or olive oil spray so the spices will stick to the corn. And if you're just too weary to do all the tie-up-the-husks routine, you can put the corn in foil packets instead. Maybe not quite as good, but nearly so. Before corn is totally gone for the season, I recommend this.

North African Grilled Corn on the Cob
Recipe: Cooking Light, 2000
Servings: 9
4 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/8 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/4 dashes ground cloves
9 each corn on cob, whole
4 1/2 teaspoons butter -- or olive oil spray
1. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Pull husks back from each cob, leaving most of the husks attached. Remove silk and discard. Lightly spray the corn with olive oil spray, or use softened butter and lightly rub on the corn (so the seasoning will stick to it). Sprinkle with the herb & spice combination. Gently tug husks back into place over the cob, leaving the top tassels if at all possible. Tie with a long strip of husk just at the top of the ear to keep husks intact. Or, use cooking string (regular string most likely will burn off).
2. Place on the grill and cook until just done, turning at least once. Estimate: 15 minutes - maybe 20 at the most.
NOTES : This corn is absolutely sensational. When corn is in season, fresh from the garden, this could be a meal (well, not really). I always serve this with jerk chicken, and adding a salad, it makes a complete meal. I do combine the dry rub mixture in advance - in a larger quantity - and put into small plastic bags (labeled) so I don't have to mix up the mixture every time I prepare this. It is really worth the effort and although the corn is spicy, it isn't "hot," as there's nothing in the mixture to give any chili type heat.
Per Serving (this assumes you use butter): 103 Calories; 3g Fat (26.0% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 302mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat.

To view a printable recipe, click title at top.